Track-cleaner for railroads



(No Model 2 Sheets -Sheet 1. i

G. E. TURNER- TRAGK CLEANER FOR RAILEOADSP I No. 573,842. Patented Dec. 22, 1896.

(N0 Mode-l.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

G. B. TURNER.

' TRACK CLEANER BOB. RAILROADS.

No. 573,842 Patented Dec. 22,1896.

W itnesses'.

Attorney. 1

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. TURNER, OF MARION, OHIO.

TRACK-CLEANER FOR RAILROADS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 573,842, dated December 22, 1896.

Application filed April 28, 1896. Serial No. 589,399. (No model.)

roads; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has relation to track-cleaners for railroads; and the object is to provide an adjustable brush, removably secured to any convenient part of the front of a car or pilot of the engine, to remove dirt, snow, or other light material from the rail; and to this end the novelty consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of the several parts of the same, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings the same letters of reference indicate like parts of the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a motor-car, showing my improved track-brush in operation. Fig. 2 is an end view of one of the rails, showing the brush in contact therewith. Fig. 3 is a side view similar to Fig. 1, but with the brush raised. Fig. 4: is a front view of the device attached to a car.

A is a cast or wrought metal bracket secured to the forward end of the car by bolts, and its forward end is provided with rigid studs a a, projecting on each side thereof.

B is the brush-frame, consisting of two flat parallel sides I] I), joined or formed integral at their top I), and these sides I) b are formed with two longitudinal slots 1) b lying in the cal motion on the bracket A, the brush C resting by gravity on the track, and the vertical motion of the brush-frame compensates for any oscillation or teetering of the car.

\Vhen not in use for cleaning the track, the brush is lifted up out of the Way until the studs a a are at the bottom of the slots 12 12 The brush is then pushed forward, so that the inclined slots 6 b engage the lower studs a a, which retain the brush in an elevated position and clear of the track, as shown in Fig. 3.

D is a bolt passing through the slots 2) b in the sides I) b above the studs (1, a, and on the bolt D andbetween the sides I) b is located a sleeve d, slightly longer than the width of the head of the bracket A, and this sleeve d may be adjusted at any desired height by its bolt D to serve the double purpose of preventing the sides 19 b from clamping the bracket A and thereby preventing automatic adjustment of the brush to the rail, and at the same time it prevents the brush from dropping too far below the top of the rail in going around curves, as the sleeve is so adjusted as to rest on the top of the head of the bracket A and prevent the brush from falling too far below the rail, which would then bend or break the device when it came back on a tangent to the rail when the car resumed a straight course.

In practice I prefer to use antifrictionsleeves on the studs (1 a to compensate in a measure for their wear and tear in the slots when the device is in operation; but these sleeves may be dispensed with without materially affecting the invention.

Having thusdescribed my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The combination with the bracket A, provided with the rigid studs a a of the frame B, provided with the slots 1) b and the brush 0, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination with the bracket A, the

head of which is provided with the rigid studs a a projecting on each side thereof in the same line, of the frame B consisting of the parallel sides I) I), having two parallel slots 0 b terminating in inclined slots 17 into justable bo1t D carrying the sleeve 01, sub which the studs project, and having thobrush stantially as and for the purpose specified. 1o 0 secured thereto, substantially as and for In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my the purpose specified. signature in presence of two witnesses.

5 3. The bracket A having the laterally-pro- GEORGE E. TURNER.

jecting studs a a, on each side thereof in the Witnesses: same line, in combination with the frame B JOHN J. HANE,

having" the slots the brush 0, and the ad- JOHN A. VVALFORD. 

